Three New York roommates got the surprise of their lives when they found USD $40,000 (CAD $50,000) hidden in a couch they had recently purchased for $20 from a thrift store, CBS New York reports.
Lumps in the couch’s upholstery turned out to be stacks of $100 bills stored in bubble wrap. After finding two or three, they kept searching and found more of these envelopes, totalling over $40,000! After having many discussions about what to do with the money, including asking for advice from their parents, the three roommates decided to return it.
It wasn’t easy, but a phone number eventually led them to the family that originally owned the couch. It turns out the money represented years’ worth of savings from the woman’s late husband’s wages. He had put the money aside and hidden it in his couch, in case he wasn’t around to provide for his family… Only, he didn’t tell anyone about it!
In either case, the woman was understandably emotional, overwhelmed and relieved the kids brought her money back. “This is my husband looking down on me and this was supposed to happen,” she told CBS New York. It was a happy ending for all involved, as she rewarded the roommates with $1,000.
If you knew you would never get caught, would you have kept or returned the money? Let us know in the comments on Facebook!